www.vacavillechamber.com Platinum: By: Beth Lofthus – Leadership Vacaville Instructor L eadership Vacaville has begun a new class session with 15 new members. On October 6th the first session of the Leadership Vacaville Class of 2012 held its first meeting. The class members spent the day learning about the heritage, art, and culture in Vacaville. Congratulations to the incoming class who will spend the next 10 months engaging in dialogue with community leaders, establishing life- long relationships with fellow class- mates, exploring all the various areas of Vacaville, and planning and exe- cuting a community service project. Ashley Westmoreland, Gateway Realty Charlie Vinyard, Millennium Sportsclub Colleen Stafford,All Size Flooring Center David Smith, MV Transportation Diane Irby, NorthBay Healthcare Ian Schmutzler,Vacaville Police Department Joanne Bucsko,Vacaville Unified School District Julie Sabbagh,Vacaville Chamber of Commerce Katheryn Tuberty, Farmers Insurance Group Lisa Shipley, Solano County Farm Bureau Mike Meneni, Kaiser Permanente Rachel Andre, US Bank Richard Roark,Travis Credit Union Rick Sheffe,Travis Air Force Base Stephanie Tarter, NorthBay Healthcare Leadership Vacaville is a 10 month program designed to educate Vacaville’s emerging leaders about social, political, and economic aspects of our community that affect our standard of living and quality of life. The program is offered through the Vacaville Chamber of Commerce and generously sponsored by NorthBay Healthcare. If you are interested in learning more about the program please call (707) 448- 6424 or visit www.vacavillecham- ber.com to view the Leadership Vacaville brochure and additional information. November 2011 CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE Diamond: Cirkadia KUIC 95.3 Pacific Gas & Electric The Reporter Newspaper Gold: A.G. Spanos Companies First Northern Bank Kaiser Permanente McDonald’s Restaurants Standard Pacific New Homes Sutter Regional Medical Foundation Wells Fargo Banks Western Health Advantage Silver: Emeritus of Vacaville Hampton Inn & Suites Raley’s Ray Morgan Co. Vacaville Magazine Valero Benicia Refinery VITUS Wal-Mart Bronze: AAA Northern California Ad Special T’s Alza Corporation B & L Properties Cache Creek Casino Resort Cancer Treatment Center of Vacaville Community Business Bank Costco Wholesale Courtside Cottages of Vacaville G2 Solutions Inc. Kappel & Kappel Real Estate M&G Duravent, Inc. Mariani Packing Co., Inc. Mary’s Pizza Shack North Bay Truck Center Paramount House Senior Living Phillippi Engineering Premier Commercial Real Estate RAS Solano Radiation Oncology Center State Compensation Insurance Fund Suihkonen CPA’s & Consultants Toyota Vacaville Transpac US Bank Vacaville Heating and Air Conditioning Vacaville Honda Vacaville Premium Outlets Vacaville Residence Inn G overnor Edmund G. Brown Jr. concluded his work on legislation over the weekend, vetoing two more CalChamber-opposed “job killer” bills in addition to two earlier vetoes and signing one job killer bill into law.A total of five job killers ultimately made it to the Governor’s desk from the 30 that were identified for 2011. “We commend Governor Brown for vetoing nearly all CalChamber identified job killers,” said Allan Zaremberg, President and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce. “Governor Brown’s commitment to ‘do no more harm’ to California’s economy will send a strong message that eliminating economic uncertainty is the first element of any program to make California more competitive.” The Governor vetoed these job killers: AB 1155 (Alejo; D-Watsonville) Would have increased costs and lawsuits in the workers’ compen- sation system by eroding the apportionment provision that pro- tects an employer from paying for disability that did not arise from work.Among other things, Governor Brown cited new litiga- tion costs for businesses as a rea- son for his veto. AB 325 (B. Lowenthal; D-Long Beach) Would have added to California businesses’ legal costs and responsibilities by requiring an employer to provide employ- ees with up to three days of unpaid bereavement leave. In addition, the bill would have ele- vated the significance of the right to bereavement leave to the same level as the right to be free from racial or gender discrimination and harassment. In vetoing the bill, Governor Brown agreed with CalChamber, saying he believed the bill was unnecessary because the vast majority of employers vol- untarily make such an accommo- dation for the loss of a loved one. He also echoed CalChamber’s opposition to the far-reaching pri- vate right to sue that the bill would have established. The Governor earlier vetoed these job killers: AB 559 (Swanson; D-Alameda) (vetoed on September 26, 2011) Would have unreasonably increased business litigation costs by limiting judicial discretion to Continued on page 3 Final Tally on Job Killer Bills: Governor Vetoes Four;Signs One into Law Leadership Vacaville: Back in Session!
L eadership Vacaville has beguna new class session with 15new members. On October6th the first session of the
Leadership Vacaville Class of 2012held its first meeting. The classmembers spent the day learningabout the heritage, art, and culture inVacaville.
Congratulations to the incomingclass who will spend the next 10months engaging in dialogue withcommunity leaders, establishing life-long relationships with fellow class-mates, exploring all the various areasof Vacaville, and planning and exe-cuting a community service project.
Ashley Westmoreland, GatewayRealty
Charlie Vinyard, MillenniumSportsclub
Colleen Stafford,All Size FlooringCenter
David Smith, MV TransportationDiane Irby, NorthBay HealthcareIan Schmutzler,Vacaville Police
DepartmentJoanne Bucsko,Vacaville Unified
School District
Julie Sabbagh,Vacaville Chamberof Commerce
Katheryn Tuberty, FarmersInsurance Group
Lisa Shipley, Solano County FarmBureau
Mike Meneni, Kaiser PermanenteRachel Andre, US BankRichard Roark,Travis Credit
UnionRick Sheffe,Travis Air Force BaseStephanie Tarter, NorthBay
HealthcareLeadership Vacaville is a 10
month program designed to educateVacaville’s emerging leaders aboutsocial, political, and economicaspects of our community that affectour standard of living and quality oflife. The program is offered throughthe Vacaville Chamber of Commerceand generously sponsored byNorthBay Healthcare. If you areinterested in learning more aboutthe program please call (707) 448-6424 or visit www.vacavillecham-ber.com to view the LeadershipVacaville brochure and additionalinformation.
November 2011
CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE
Diamond:Cirkadia KUIC 95.3 Pacific Gas & Electric The Reporter Newspaper
Gold:A.G. Spanos Companies First Northern Bank Kaiser Permanente McDonald’s RestaurantsStandard Pacific New HomesSutter Regional Medical Foundation Wells Fargo BanksWestern Health Advantage
Silver:Emeritus of VacavilleHampton Inn & SuitesRaley’sRay Morgan Co.Vacaville MagazineValero Benicia RefineryVITUSWal-Mart
Bronze:AAA Northern CaliforniaAd Special T’sAlza CorporationB & L PropertiesCache Creek Casino ResortCancer Treatment Center of VacavilleCommunity Business BankCostco WholesaleCourtside Cottages of VacavilleG2 Solutions Inc.Kappel & Kappel Real EstateM&G Duravent, Inc.Mariani Packing Co., Inc.Mary’s Pizza ShackNorth Bay Truck CenterParamount House Senior LivingPhillippi EngineeringPremier Commercial Real EstateRAS Solano Radiation Oncology CenterState Compensation Insurance FundSuihkonen CPA’s & ConsultantsToyota VacavilleTranspacUS BankVacaville Heating and Air ConditioningVacaville HondaVacaville Premium OutletsVacaville Residence Inn
Governor Edmund G.Brown Jr. concluded hiswork on legislation overthe weekend, vetoing
two more CalChamber-opposed“job killer” bills in addition to twoearlier vetoes and signing one jobkiller bill into law.A total of fivejob killers ultimately made it tothe Governor’s desk from the 30that were identified for 2011.
“We commend GovernorBrown for vetoing nearly allCalChamber identified job killers,”said Allan Zaremberg, Presidentand CEO of the CaliforniaChamber of Commerce.
“Governor Brown’s commitmentto ‘do no more harm’ toCalifornia’s economy will send astrong message that eliminatingeconomic uncertainty is the firstelement of any program to makeCalifornia more competitive.”
The Governor vetoed these jobkillers:
AB 1155 (Alejo; D-Watsonville)Would have increased costs andlawsuits in the workers’ compen-sation system by eroding theapportionment provision that pro-tects an employer from paying fordisability that did not arise fromwork.Among other things,
Governor Brown cited new litiga-tion costs for businesses as a rea-son for his veto.
AB 325 (B. Lowenthal; D-LongBeach) Would have added toCalifornia businesses’ legal costsand responsibilities by requiringan employer to provide employ-ees with up to three days ofunpaid bereavement leave. Inaddition, the bill would have ele-vated the significance of the rightto bereavement leave to the samelevel as the right to be free fromracial or gender discriminationand harassment. In vetoing thebill, Governor Brown agreed with
CalChamber, saying he believedthe bill was unnecessary becausethe vast majority of employers vol-untarily make such an accommo-dation for the loss of a loved one.He also echoed CalChamber’sopposition to the far-reaching pri-vate right to sue that the billwould have established.
The Governor earlier vetoedthese job killers:
AB 559 (Swanson; D-Alameda)(vetoed on September 26, 2011)Would have unreasonablyincreased business litigation costsby limiting judicial discretion to
Continued on page 3
Final Tally on Job Killer Bills: Governor Vetoes Four; Signs One into Law
Leadership Vacaville: Back in Session!
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 11Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments2 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
Carol LandryChairperson –
First Northern BankDilenna Harris
Chair Elect – Solano CountyLibrary Foundation
Ed ForrestImmediate Past Chair –
Bank of AmericaDebbie Egidio
Treasurer – DTS EgidioErnie Smith
Vice Chair Client/Members –Smith Business Interiors
The City of Vacaville is currently in theprocess of updating it’s General Planwhich was last approved twenty years
ago. The General Plan is the blueprint for thegrowth of Vacaville for the next twenty years.There are three major areas of study for possi-ble growth – (1) the area east of Leisure TownRd. (2) the Northeast Quadrant (north andsouth of I-80 east of Leisure Town Rd.) (3)Infill areas within the city. All of the areashave various residential and commercial pro-posals that range from little development,moderate development and intense develop-ment. The Planning Commission has heldhearings over the last year and has submittedits recommendation to the Vacaville CityCouncil. The City Council will be finalizing itsrecommendation in November.
The Chamber of Commerce has joinedwith the Downtown Vacaville BusinessImprovement District to endorse the changeof zoning proposed for one of the infill proj-ects – the old Vacaville Unified School District
headquarters and theadjoining old UlatisElementary school site.The old VUSD modularbuildings are vacant andcannot be used again dueto health and safety issues.The old Ulatis ElementarySchool is currently beingused by Country HighSchool which could berelocated to a differentsite. Therefore, the schooldistrict has requested thatthe zoning for these twoproperties be changed tomixed use (residential
and commercial) high density. This wouldallow for the development of a condo projectalong side Andrews Park with commercialbuildings fronting Monte Vista Ave.
Many people are excited about the idea ofnew condos bringing in 200-300 new full-time
residents to our downtown area. This is anexcellent example of a smart, infill projectusing existing infrastructure. The Chamberand the DVBID see this proposal as a win-winfor all parties involved. It is a win for ourdowntown as it would support our down-town businesses with more customers. Itwould complement the Opportunity HillMaster Plan by bringing more potential cus-tomers downtown. This property has a betterchance of being developed due to its flat, rec-tangular location next to a park and shopping.It is a win for the Vacaville School Districtwhich could use the funds to improve otherschool facilities. It is a win for the City thatwould receive a boost to property taxes.Overall, it is an entire win for the city as itwould bring an attractive residential develop-ment located for people who would like toenjoy a downtown, urban residential experi-ence.
New Condos in Downtown?
Sales Director - Sally SchulzProject Coordinator - Shauna Manina
Layout & Design - Sarah TaberPublished by The Reporter
Printed on Recycled paper
By Carol LandryChair of
the Board
EVENTS
Chamber Mixer:Annual Business Education Mixer hosted and held at the Vacaville Chamber ofCommerce. (Above) Chamber Wake-Up Vacaville:Big Valley Mortgage, located at 479 Mason Street, Ste. 109 (Above, right) Ribbon Cuttings:1. Amazing Slimmer Body Wraps (right), 198 Dobbins Street, Ste. C2. Vacaville Ballet Theater (below, right), 819 Davis Street3. Genesis Health Institute (Below), 3700 Hillborn Road #950, Fairfield
NorthBay Healthcare officialswere informed by SolanoCounty officials in
September that their program tobecome the first Level III TraumaCenter had passed muster.
In a joint letter to trauma pro-gram leaders, County HealthOfficer Dr. Bela T. Matyas and TedSelby, administrator of the SolanoCounty Emergency MedicalServices Agency, wrote,“The sur-vey team felt that NorthBayMedical Center’s application andon-site review demonstrate yourhospital’s commitment to provid-ing excellent trauma care.“
They added,“The successfulachievement of a trauma designa-tion is commendable.”
NorthBay Healthcare is aPlatinum Member of theChairman’s Circle.
It has been a year sinceNorthBay officials were the first inthe county to unveil a detailedplan to provide care for victims oftraumatic events by the end of2011.
The designation process willbe completed by Dec. 31, thedeadline for county health offi-cials and NorthBay to sign a trau-ma center agreement that paves
the way for emergency respon-ders - police, firefighters, para-medics and ambulance companies- to deliver patients with traumaticinjuries to the centrally locatedFairfield hospital.
This will decrease the numberof local residents who must leavethe county for trauma treatmentand care. In addition, some sugges-tions made by the surveyors dur-ing their visit already are beingimplemented, including reconfig-uring and enhancing the traumatreatment room.
NorthBay officials said workwas under way on other improve-ments that will be accomplishedquickly. Solano County was one ofthe few counties its size withinCalifornia that did not have a des-ignated trauma center within itsboundaries.
Designation as a Level III cen-ter means emergency medicalservices personnel can now bringtrauma patients to the Fairfieldhospital’s Emergency Departmentfor treatment. Patients will betriaged in the field according tocriteria for treatment at the appro-priate level of trauma care.
Patients with neurologicalinjuries will continue to be trans-
ported to Level I and Level II trau-ma centers.There are about 1,000trauma cases a year in SolanoCounty, according to state statis-tics that show 42 percent aretransferred out of the county, typi-cally to trauma centers in WalnutCreek or Sacramento. Most are aresult of traffic crashes (50 per-cent) and falls (39 percent). Lessthan 7 percent of traumaticinjuries are a result of assaults.
“This is a life-saving advance-ment of medicine for residents ofSolano County,”noted GaryPassama,president and CEO ofNorthBay Healthcare.“We didn’tjust decide to do this.This has beenpart of our long-range strategic planfor many,many years.Our role asthe independent,community-basedhealthcare provider is to bring tolocal residents the medical servicesthat do not exist here.”
During the last three years,NorthBay Healthcare built theinfrastructure for trauma care andother advanced medical services.It began by putting into placearound-the-clock in-house physi-cian staffing for general surgery,internal medicine, orthopedic sur-gery, anesthesia, OB-GYN and criti-cal care medicine, all of which
provide a strong foundation for ahigh-quality trauma medical team.
“We created that system toimprove the care for all patients,”explained Deborah Sugiyama,president of NorthBay HealthcareGroup, which directly managesoperations in NorthBay MedicalCenter and NorthBay VacaValleyHospital in Vacaville.
“We can be proud of thisaccomplishment,”noted KathyRicherson, vice president and chiefnursing officer at NorthBay.“Itrequired tremendous dedication tocreate something our communityreally needs.The team at NorthBaynever wavered in its mission todeliver this program to those weserve.We knew we would be sav-ing lives because we could elimi-nate the long transport times toother hospitals farther away.Andwe knew we could keep familiesof trauma victims closer to theirloved ones, which quite oftenhelps the recovery process.”
Dr. Pete Zopfi is the traumamedical director and chief of sur-gery. Daman Mott, R.N., is direc-tor of Emergency Departmentand Trauma Services, assisted byHeather Venezio, R.N., traumaprogram director.
NorthBay Medical Center is County’s First Level III Trauma Center
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 3Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments10 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
By Mark Creffield, President/CEO
Now that the Vacaville Chamber of Commercenewsletter is published and distributed by theVacaville Reporter, which has increased our reader-ship from approximately 700 to over 17,000, I
wanted to reprint an article I wrote last year about an excit-ing and informative committee called the Travis RegionalArmed Forces Committee (TRAFC).
Did you know that membership with the VacavilleChamber of Commerce or any Solano County Chamberenables you to join the Travis Regional Armed ForcesCommittee (TRAFC)? This committee, now in its 14th year,was formed from the Solano County Armed ServicesCommittee and the Military Affairs Committees of theFairfield-Suisun and Vacaville Chambers of Commerce. Itwas designed to combine similar, but separate Travis AirForce Base support groups into a more effective regionalvoice.
Under the auspices of the County’s Chambers ofCommerce,TRAFC is the local community organization
which supports the men, women, andmissions of Travis Air Force Base. Itsmembership is comprised of over 175local business and civic leaders, includ-ing elected officials from throughoutSolano County, the state and federalgovernment. Its day-to-day administra-tion is shared by the Fairfield-Suisunand Vacaville Chambers of Commerce.The committee is governed by an 18member board of directors.The organ-ization meets monthly at the TravisAFB Delta Breeze Club dining facility.Here the group received updates onTravis activities from the base’sCommanders from the 15th
Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, the 60th Air MobilityWing, the 349th Air Mobility Wing, and the 615thContingency Response Wing.
Throughout the year,TRAFC hosts events honoring the
men and women of Travis AFB. It has hosted welcome homeevents for returning troops, hosts a B-B-Q for air show par-ticipants, holds an annual Commander’s Night, NCO Night,Military Recognition Dinner along with the ever importantContractor’s Breakfast for businesses on “How to do busi-ness with Travis Air Force Base.”
Periodically the organization’s members visit congres-sional leaders in the nation’s capitol to seek support for mil-itary construction projects, military benefits, equipmentimprovement and additional missions.The organization alsoleads efforts to achieve necessary support from local gov-ernments, agencies and businesses on matters crucial to thebase and its operations.
In short,TRAFC is the community’s eyes, ears and voicefor the people of Travis AFB. Membership is available toChamber of Commerce members with annual dues of just$135. Consider joining the Travis Regional Armed Forcestoday and support the men and women of Team Travis – AirPower!
By Mark CreffieldPresident/CEO
Support Travis Air Force Base!Bank of AmericaEd Forrest150 Parker Street, Vacaville, CA 95688707-454-3823Edwin.forrest@bankofamerica.comwww.bankofamerica.com
Breezey TansCindy Henson640 E. Main Street, Vacaville, CA [email protected].
California Carpet CareGlenn Emlaw940 Ruby Drive, Vacaville, CA 95687707-446-6568owner@californiacarpetcare.comwww.vacvillecarpetcleaning.com
Kevin English – AssociateKevin English18172 Gadwall Street, Woodland, CA [email protected]
Genesis Health InstituteDr. Douglas Weed3700 Hilborn Road, #950, Fairfield, CA [email protected]
Tamara Hansen – Kappel & Kappel , Inc.Tamara Hansen401 Davis Street, Ste D., Vacaville, CA 95688707-514-6242Hansent210@gmail.comwww.tamarahansen-kappels-com.sitessale-saspects.com
Momentum Auto GroupDan Vasquez2575 Auto Mall Parkway, Fairfield, CA 94533707-402-7100dvasquez@infinitioffairfield.comwww.momentumautogroup.com
Paychex, Inc.Linda Zacharia Fletcher2365 Iron Point Road, Folsom, CA [email protected]
Real Property Management SelectNick Munsee1241 Alamo Drive, Ste 12, Vacaville, CA 95687707-317-9570nfo@realpropertymanagementselect.comwww.realpropertymanagementselect.com
Solano Day SpaKiely Lawson640 E. Main Street, Vacaville, CA [email protected]
Vacaville Ballet Theatre CompanyHeidi LuMaye813 Davis Street, Vacaville, CA 95687707-449-1976vacavilleballet@sbcglobal.netwww.vacavilleballet.com
Vacaville Business ClubJohn McFadden78 Cernon Street, Suite C, Vacaville, CA [email protected]
NEW MEMBERS
When you start a small business,you'll probably discover that whatyou learned in business school
doesn't cover everything you need to knowas a business leader.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE NEW MISTAKES
Mistakes are one of the most valuablelearning tools I've ever come across.Youcan't learn anything if you're afraid to trysomething new, or worried about letting
your staff do things differently.As a small business owner, you can't
afford to fall victim to "the paralysis ofanalysis." That doesn't mean you shouldchange how you run an aspect of your busi-ness without doing your due diligence. Butthe longer you wait to try something new,the longer you'll wait to learn somethingyour competitors might already know.
Develop a culture where you and youremployees feel comfortable trying some-thing new and embracing an entrepreneur-
ial spirit. "At SurePayroll, we give a 'BestNew Mistake' award that's our equivalent tothe Presidential Medal of Freedom.The win-ner walks away with $400 - the largestprize we issue to any employee," Alter says.You'll be pleasantly surprised how muchyou learn, and how entrepreneurial youremployees can be, when you give them thefreedom to err.
SAYING "NO" TO NEW BUSINESS CAN BE A POWERFUL ASSET
Taking on new challenges and doingpractically everything yourself is the hall-mark of a small business owner. But ratherthan accepting every new opportunity thatlooks like it might be helpful with yourbusiness, start saying "no" to things thataren't strategically aligned with your busi-ness.
Be sure "no" is part of your vocabularyso you can say "yes" to focusing on yourcore business.
USE NEGATIVES AS POSITIVESYou may never have the big marketing
budgets, huge cash flow, or large infrastruc-ture that your big competitors will. Mostpeople will tell you that's a negative you'llhave to overcome (or a "challenge" youhave to overcome, if they're being nice).Rather, think of it as a positive - an opportu-nity you need to seize.
Working with abundant resources isalways more cumbersome.When your com-petitors want to change, they have an armyof employees to retrain, technology toreprogram and at least a few big wigswho'll need to sign off on it - usually after alot of convincing.
As the owner of a small business, youare able to change quickly. Use your nimble-ness to your advantage.Turning your ideainto a reality quickly is much easier for youthan for a colleague who works at a largeemployer.
PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS, NOT YOUR WEAKNESSES
In past jobs your bosses probably triedto help you by identifying skills or traitsyou should improve when they conductedyour performance reviews. But, time is theone resource you can never get more of. Sowhy waste time trying to improve some-thing you're not good at - and probablydon't have any passion for - when you canoutsource your weaknesses?
If you're buried in receipts and yourgeneral ledger, struggling to keep the booksaccurate, find an accountant or bookkeeperso you can free up your time to focus ongrowing your business. If you're great atselling your service or product but can'thelp customers with questions, get a cus-tomer service representative on board soyou can focus on what you're best at.
When you're in the middle of doingsomething you hate, pass the buck to some-one else.
USE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE EVERYTHING
The advances in business technology overthe last 15 years have leveled the playingfield.With the right technology, you can revo-lutionize how your business and serviceworks - and even what your market expects.
Find the technology that can help youimprove operations and free your staff towork on tasks that generate more revenue.If your employees are still digging throughmounds of paper files and different spread-sheets for customer and prospect informa-tion, put everything in a central online cus-tomer relationship manager (CRM) solutionlike SalesForce.com.And when youremployees are on the go, ensure they havesmartphones with apps (such as a docu-ment and spreadsheet viewers) they needto work from anywhere.
Smart technology investments alwaysproduce a strong return on investment.
AARRAA CCoonntteenntt
Five tips for growing a small business
Job killer ...Continued from page 1reduce or deny exorbitant attorneys fees in fairemployment and housing claims that shouldhave been raised in a limited civil proceeding.In vetoing the bill,Governor Brown agreedwith CalChamber,saying “in this case, I thinkthe Supreme Court got it right. Judges are inthe best position to decide whether to awardor deny fees in these instances.”
SB 104 (Steinberg;D-Sacramento) (vetoedon June 28,2011) Would have essentially elimi-nated a secret ballot election and replaced itwith the submission of representation cardssigned by more than 50 percent of the employ-ees,and left employees susceptible to coercionand manipulation by labor organizations. Inworking to defeat the bill,CalChamber arguedthat the current provisions of the AgriculturalLabor Relations Act (ALRA) adequately protectthe rights and interests of employees andemployers,as well as unions. In his veto mes-sage Governor Brown reminded the bill’s sup-porters that while Governor in 1975 he signedthe nation’s first agricultural labor relations act,the ALRA.Under its protections, tens of thou-sands of agricultural workers have voted forunionization or otherwise expressed theirchoices as to how their interests should beadvanced, the veto message stated.
The Governor signed a job killer:
AB 22 (Mendoza;D- Artesia) which willlimit private employers’ability to use con-sumer credit reports for legitimate employ-ment purposes,such as for screening potentialhires who have direct and unsupervised accessto any amount of cash and/or valuable non-financial assets.CalChamber argues that thisbill will place California companies at a com-petitive disadvantage to other states.
JJoobb KKiilllleerr SSttaattss2011:30 “job killer”bills identified,5 sent to
Governor,4 vetoed;2010:43 “job killer”bills identified,12 sent
to Governor,10 vetoed;2009:33 “job killer”bills identified,6 sent to
Governor,6 vetoed;2008:39 “job killer”bills identified,10 sent
to Governor,9 vetoed;2007:30 “job killer”bills identified,12 sent
to Governor,12 vetoed;2006:40 “job killer”bills identified,11 sent
to Governor,9 vetoed;2005:45 “job killer”bills identified,8 sent to
Governor,7 vetoed;2004:23 “job killer”bills identified,10 sent
to Governor,10 vetoed.
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 9Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments4 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
NEW MEMBERSTurner PhotographyDan Turner675 Scottsdale Drive, Vacaville, Ca. [email protected]
December5 – Holiday Mixer hosted by Travis Credit Union, One Travis Way. . . . . . .5:30 PM
15 – Holiday Wake Up hosted by Dish It Up Catering, Jackson Medical Supply,
Kathy Rybicki-All State Insurance, Colleen Berumen - CABi
MEETINGS AND EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2011
36 YearsThornton & Sons Jewelers
35 YearsDavid Fleming
30 YearsCredit Bureau &Associates
25 YearsVaca Safe & Lock
24 YearsWorkforce Investment BoardVacaville Unified School District
20 YearsRichmar Cabinets
10-15 YearsSoroptimist International of VacavilleBlake Austin CollegeCurtis DesignsJim Dandy TransmissionTahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse
1-10 YearsBeth LofthusNorth Bay Truck CenterAdventures In Personal ComputingDutton Design BuildEdible ArrangementsFront 2 Back DesignsGraphic ExpressionsHenley Architects & Associates IncLaw Offices of Jeffrey DanielLos Reyes RestauranteNewbys Therapeutic MessageRyan Bates Photography
MEMBER REINVESTMENTS
Soon, California businesses will bemoving to a new electric ratestructure called Time-Varying
Pricing, part of a statewide energyplan that will be implemented by allCalifornia investor-owned utilities.
Time-Varying Pricing is designed tohelp protect the state’s electricityresources. During weekday afternoons,when demand is highest, rates willincrease; at other times they will belower. Conserving energy during peakperiods, by even a small amount, can
help you lower your annual bill.Many small and midsize businesses
will transition to Time-Varying Pricingin November 2012 and PG&E wants tohelp you with ways to conserve. Tofind out about energy solutions, assess-ments, tips, tools and more, call ourdedicated Business Customer ServiceCenter at 1-800-468-4743. You can alsoattend a workshop or webinar onTime-Varying Pricing at your conven-ience. Visit www.pge.com/busi-nesspower to learn more.
Learn how your business can save electricity
Get ready for the new rates, starting in fall 2012.
Ihave been living in SolanoCounty for about 15 years,originally from the Pacificaand San Bruno area.My family
and I moved up here in 1997where I attended Green ValleyMiddle School and Armijo HighSchool graduating in 2002. Iworked for Starbucks from 2000to 2005 and this is where I mas-tered my spunky customer serv-ice skills. In 2005 I went towork for PCC Logistics,which isa shipping company located inthe Port of Oakland. I started asa customer service representa-tive and when I resigned in 2011I was the Supervisor for the export and spe-cial projects department. In 2009 I gave birthto my beautiful daughter,Rylie Grace. Oneshe was born I decided it was too far of acommute so I started looking for somethingcloser to home.
A friend of mine told me of a sales market-ing position that was available here in townfor a company called Servpro of Fairfield. Iknew right away with my spunky personalityand ambition to succeed I would be perfectfor the job. After attending a few of theChamber meetings I knew I would be great fit
for the Ambassador team.Becoming an Ambassador hasmade a huge contribution to mynew career; I have also met a lotof great people that I can callfriends as well as colleagues.
Not a lot of people are famil-iar with the type of businessServpro of Fairfield does.We area Fire & Water RestorationCompany. We specialize in 24hour emergency and disastercleanup for residential and com-mercial buildings.You can beassured we’ll do our very best tomake it “like it never even hap-pened.” I also want to add that “I
am the lady with those great green pens”thateveryone loves! Servpro of Fairfield and Istrongly feel it is very important to give backto the community.We try our hardest to makesure we do our utmost to participate in every-thing that we can.
Just a little bit more about me: I enjoycamping,boating,wakeboarding,Disneyland,snowboarding,country music (concerts)being with friends and family and I take lots ofpictures! I feel you should always live life tothe fullest and cherish every moment and justbe yourself.
AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTHKimi Blaine – Servpro of Fairfield
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 5Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments8 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
By Teresa A. Cunningham, Esq.Director and Employment PracticeChair with Gaw, Van Male
Invariably,an employer decides to sepa-rate an employee. There seems to be acommon misconception amongemployees that they are then entitled to
“severance”or “separation”pay. Severancepay is not a matter of right. As an employ-er,you should carefully consider the fol-lowing before determining if severancepay should be offered:
What are the circumstances / groundsof the separation?
Did the employee violate your business-es standards of conduct? Does your com-pany want to “reward”bad behavior?
How long has the employee been withthe Company? Is this a long-term employ-ee or a recent hire?
Is separation pay financially feasible forthe Company,especially if the separation isbased on economic factors?
Does the employee have any priorand/or current grievances?
If there is a need to release the employ-ee, the following terms and/or conditionsmight be included:
A specific description of the tax conse-quences of any severance payment,and anacknowledgement that all final wages andbenefits have been paid.
A list of all those entities and or per-sons being released.
Inclusion of all relevant statutes and/orlaws that will be waived. Note that EDDbenefits cannot be waived by an employ-ee.
Waiver of known and unknown claims(CCP Section 1542).
Re-affirmation of any trade secret/confi-dentiality agreements or other applicablecontractual agreements.
Avoid a non-compete provision unlessapplicable under facts and California law.
Designation of choice of law andforum.
Selection of arbitration and/or media-tion for future dispute resolution
Consideration of the precedent estab-lished by offering severance pay.
Determination of additional time con-siderations for workers over the age offorty.
All other applicable provisions deter-mined warranted after consultation withlegal counsel.
The decision to separate an employeeis not an easy one.Determining the appro-priateness of severance pay and any pro-posed release must be examined consid-ered carefully.
This article is prepared with the under-standing that the author or the firm is notrendering legal advice or opinions on spe-cific facts or matters and,accordingly,assumes no liability whatsoever in connec-tion with its use.
Separation Anxiety NEW MEMBER BIOSNew Balance
New Balance Factory Store islocated in the Vacaville PremiumOutlet Center at 321F Nut TreeRoad, Vacaville Ca. 95687. TheNew Balance store offersfootwear, apparel and acces-sories for men, women and chil-dren. We specialize in multiple
widths from 2a to 6e in men’s and 4a to 4e inwomen’s. We offer difficult to find sizes, 6 to 18 inmen’s and 5 to 13 in women’s. Our kid’s footwearselection covers infant thru grade school sizes andare available in wide and extra wide widths. Don’tforget to ask about our military and senior dis-counts!
Vacaville Ballet TheaterVacaville Ballet Theater was con-ceived as a result of a passionatebelief in the importance of bring-ing quality arts education to ourlocal community. Access to thearts enriches everyone, perform-ers and audiences alike. Our
local youth deserve the same opportunities to expe-rience these advantages as those who live in largermetropolitan areas.
Gregg Lehman Insurance Agency and Nationwide Insurance Company
Gregg LehmanInsuranceAgency andNationwide
Insurance Company are proud to be the VacavilleChamber of Commerce’s newest Bronze Members.We offer the highest quality personal, commercialand life insurance products available today. Pleasecontact Gregg Lehman at 707-260-9637 for moreinformation on how we can meet all your insuranceneeds.
Dennis Atkinson Hypnosis & Life Coaching Located inside Positive Change Counseling ServicesI am a Medical/Clinical hypnotherapist certified bythe International Medical & Dental HypnotherapyAssociation, The National Guild of Hypnotists, andthe American Board of Hypnotist Examiners.Used in conjunction with standard medical proce-dures, hypnosis helps create positive attitudes andboosts the immune system. Hypnosis helps create apositive expectancy to heal, improve overall health,and reduce stress.
by Charles Eason, Director Solano College Small Business Development Center
Ijust returned from a three day trip toMissouri as part of a California delegationto learn about how the Missouri SmallBusiness Development Center (SBDC) pro-
gram made a shift to what is called a SBTDC.The “T”stands for technology. There are sixstate SBDC programs that have becomeaccredited as SBTDCs. The California SBDCnetworks are exploring pursuing a “T”designa-tion and accreditation through the Associationof Small Business Development Centers(ASBDC).
To become accredited as a SBTDC,a SBDCprogram must demonstrate it has core compe-tencies in the following five areas:TechnologyTransfer/ Commercialization,Research andDevelopment Funding,Equity Financing(Angel and Venture Capital), IntellectualProperty,and Technology Networking. WithCalifornia being one of the leaders in the areaof technology and innovation,a formal SBTDCprogram would only seem to be a natural fit.
The Missouri SBTDC program is hosted bythe University of Missouri as part of theCenter for Innovation and Entrepreneurshipunder the College of Engineering. As such,they were well integrated with the UniversityTech Transfer programs. In addition, theUniversity of Missouri system formally adopt-ed economic development as one of theircore missions. Their focus is now as a SBTDCis on what they call stage II high growth firmsversus the more traditional lifestyle businessesthat the SBDC previously served.
The California SBDC programs are struc-tured a little differently in that there are sixseparate SBDC networks. Only one, the UCMerced SBDC program, is hosted by a UC.The remainder are hosted by either
Community Colleges are a State University.One of the challenges that the CaliforniaSBDC programs face in making a transition toa SBTDC will be to develop that formal con-nection to the research universities in thestate. The California SBDC program recentlysigned a memorandum of understanding(MOU) with the California State UniversitySystem. In fact, two representatives from thetech transfer offices of the California StateUniversity program accompanied us on thefact finding trip to Missouri.
While in Missouri,we also had a chance totour the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundationwhich is focused on advancing entrepreneur-ship and is among the thirty largest founda-tions in the United States with an asset base ofapproximately $2 billion. The visit included atour of a multimillion-dollar initiative knownas Kauffman Laboratories for EnterpriseCreation,which, through a set of innovativeprograms, is seeking to accelerate the numberand success of high-growth, scalable firms.
The Kauffman Foundation also sponsorsanother program called the StartupFoundation which is a grassroots initiative thathelps cities build and establish ecosystemsthat will support more high-growth entrepre-neurs, startups,and ultimately, jobs. The initia-tive is probably best known for its StartupWeekends which are occurring across thecountry. Startup Weekends are weekend-long,hands-on experiences where entrepreneursand aspiring entrepreneurs can find out ifstartup ideas are viable.
If you are a high growth business lookingfor assistance or if you need help in determin-ing if you startup idea is viable,contact theSolano College Small Business DevelopmentCenter at (707) 864-3382 or www.solanosb-dc.org to learn about services that are avail-able here locally in Solano County.
Startup Weekend
Every business has to invest in goods andservices to operate and grow.Small busi-ness owners juggling multiple demands,
with limited resources,have to be particularlystrategic in how they finance their purchases.Credit cards with cash rewards are becomingincreasingly popular with small business own-ers.By offering the opportunity to earn cashback on purchases from office supply stores,gas stations,computer network companies andrestaurants,cards can make expenses lessexpensive and preserve cash reserves.
"A key driver to small business success isfinding ways to make less go a long way," saysSteve Strauss,small business expert and colum-nist.
Reward cards are one important tool tohelp small businesses maximize assets andmanage cash flow.Here are some additionalsuggestions to help you prevent shortfalls andkeep your small business in financial order:
Think ahead.Even the smallest businessescan no longer afford to roll the dice with casu-al "back of the envelope" calculations.
Budgeting should be done routinely and sys-tematically on both a short-term (weekly,monthly depending on company size) and along-term (annual,3 to 5 years) basis to fore-cast impending needs.
Don't silo.A company's cash position is tiedto business operations,so it is wise to assessproduction schedules,overtime,supplier choic-es and delivery dates against cash availabilityand make adjustments regularly.
Expedite incoming payments.Speed upreceivables collection by sending out invoicesas soon as orders are shipped and ask cus-tomers to make electronic payments whereverpossible.Always deposit checks the same daythey are received.
Remember that inventory is not cash.Theitems on your shelves need to be sold to betransformed into cash, therefore you should doeverything in your power to move inventory,including offering discounts or installment pay-ments if necessary.
AARRAA CCoonntteenntt
Buy more, spend less and keep your cash
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 7Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments6 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 7Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments6 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 5Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments8 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
By Teresa A. Cunningham, Esq.Director and Employment PracticeChair with Gaw, Van Male
Invariably,an employer decides to sepa-rate an employee. There seems to be acommon misconception amongemployees that they are then entitled to
“severance”or “separation”pay. Severancepay is not a matter of right. As an employ-er,you should carefully consider the fol-lowing before determining if severancepay should be offered:
What are the circumstances / groundsof the separation?
Did the employee violate your business-es standards of conduct? Does your com-pany want to “reward”bad behavior?
How long has the employee been withthe Company? Is this a long-term employ-ee or a recent hire?
Is separation pay financially feasible forthe Company,especially if the separation isbased on economic factors?
Does the employee have any priorand/or current grievances?
If there is a need to release the employ-ee, the following terms and/or conditionsmight be included:
A specific description of the tax conse-quences of any severance payment,and anacknowledgement that all final wages andbenefits have been paid.
A list of all those entities and or per-sons being released.
Inclusion of all relevant statutes and/orlaws that will be waived. Note that EDDbenefits cannot be waived by an employ-ee.
Waiver of known and unknown claims(CCP Section 1542).
Re-affirmation of any trade secret/confi-dentiality agreements or other applicablecontractual agreements.
Avoid a non-compete provision unlessapplicable under facts and California law.
Designation of choice of law andforum.
Selection of arbitration and/or media-tion for future dispute resolution
Consideration of the precedent estab-lished by offering severance pay.
Determination of additional time con-siderations for workers over the age offorty.
All other applicable provisions deter-mined warranted after consultation withlegal counsel.
The decision to separate an employeeis not an easy one.Determining the appro-priateness of severance pay and any pro-posed release must be examined consid-ered carefully.
This article is prepared with the under-standing that the author or the firm is notrendering legal advice or opinions on spe-cific facts or matters and,accordingly,assumes no liability whatsoever in connec-tion with its use.
Separation Anxiety NEW MEMBER BIOSNew Balance
New Balance Factory Store islocated in the Vacaville PremiumOutlet Center at 321F Nut TreeRoad, Vacaville Ca. 95687. TheNew Balance store offersfootwear, apparel and acces-sories for men, women and chil-dren. We specialize in multiple
widths from 2a to 6e in men’s and 4a to 4e inwomen’s. We offer difficult to find sizes, 6 to 18 inmen’s and 5 to 13 in women’s. Our kid’s footwearselection covers infant thru grade school sizes andare available in wide and extra wide widths. Don’tforget to ask about our military and senior dis-counts!
Vacaville Ballet TheaterVacaville Ballet Theater was con-ceived as a result of a passionatebelief in the importance of bring-ing quality arts education to ourlocal community. Access to thearts enriches everyone, perform-ers and audiences alike. Our
local youth deserve the same opportunities to expe-rience these advantages as those who live in largermetropolitan areas.
Gregg Lehman Insurance Agency and Nationwide Insurance Company
Gregg LehmanInsuranceAgency andNationwide
Insurance Company are proud to be the VacavilleChamber of Commerce’s newest Bronze Members.We offer the highest quality personal, commercialand life insurance products available today. Pleasecontact Gregg Lehman at 707-260-9637 for moreinformation on how we can meet all your insuranceneeds.
Dennis Atkinson Hypnosis & Life Coaching Located inside Positive Change Counseling ServicesI am a Medical/Clinical hypnotherapist certified bythe International Medical & Dental HypnotherapyAssociation, The National Guild of Hypnotists, andthe American Board of Hypnotist Examiners.Used in conjunction with standard medical proce-dures, hypnosis helps create positive attitudes andboosts the immune system. Hypnosis helps create apositive expectancy to heal, improve overall health,and reduce stress.
by Charles Eason, Director Solano College Small Business Development Center
Ijust returned from a three day trip toMissouri as part of a California delegationto learn about how the Missouri SmallBusiness Development Center (SBDC) pro-
gram made a shift to what is called a SBTDC.The “T”stands for technology. There are sixstate SBDC programs that have becomeaccredited as SBTDCs. The California SBDCnetworks are exploring pursuing a “T”designa-tion and accreditation through the Associationof Small Business Development Centers(ASBDC).
To become accredited as a SBTDC,a SBDCprogram must demonstrate it has core compe-tencies in the following five areas:TechnologyTransfer/ Commercialization,Research andDevelopment Funding,Equity Financing(Angel and Venture Capital), IntellectualProperty,and Technology Networking. WithCalifornia being one of the leaders in the areaof technology and innovation,a formal SBTDCprogram would only seem to be a natural fit.
The Missouri SBTDC program is hosted bythe University of Missouri as part of theCenter for Innovation and Entrepreneurshipunder the College of Engineering. As such,they were well integrated with the UniversityTech Transfer programs. In addition, theUniversity of Missouri system formally adopt-ed economic development as one of theircore missions. Their focus is now as a SBTDCis on what they call stage II high growth firmsversus the more traditional lifestyle businessesthat the SBDC previously served.
The California SBDC programs are struc-tured a little differently in that there are sixseparate SBDC networks. Only one, the UCMerced SBDC program, is hosted by a UC.The remainder are hosted by either
Community Colleges are a State University.One of the challenges that the CaliforniaSBDC programs face in making a transition toa SBTDC will be to develop that formal con-nection to the research universities in thestate. The California SBDC program recentlysigned a memorandum of understanding(MOU) with the California State UniversitySystem. In fact, two representatives from thetech transfer offices of the California StateUniversity program accompanied us on thefact finding trip to Missouri.
While in Missouri,we also had a chance totour the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundationwhich is focused on advancing entrepreneur-ship and is among the thirty largest founda-tions in the United States with an asset base ofapproximately $2 billion. The visit included atour of a multimillion-dollar initiative knownas Kauffman Laboratories for EnterpriseCreation,which, through a set of innovativeprograms, is seeking to accelerate the numberand success of high-growth, scalable firms.
The Kauffman Foundation also sponsorsanother program called the StartupFoundation which is a grassroots initiative thathelps cities build and establish ecosystemsthat will support more high-growth entrepre-neurs, startups,and ultimately, jobs. The initia-tive is probably best known for its StartupWeekends which are occurring across thecountry. Startup Weekends are weekend-long,hands-on experiences where entrepreneursand aspiring entrepreneurs can find out ifstartup ideas are viable.
If you are a high growth business lookingfor assistance or if you need help in determin-ing if you startup idea is viable,contact theSolano College Small Business DevelopmentCenter at (707) 864-3382 or www.solanosb-dc.org to learn about services that are avail-able here locally in Solano County.
Startup Weekend
Every business has to invest in goods andservices to operate and grow.Small busi-ness owners juggling multiple demands,
with limited resources,have to be particularlystrategic in how they finance their purchases.Credit cards with cash rewards are becomingincreasingly popular with small business own-ers.By offering the opportunity to earn cashback on purchases from office supply stores,gas stations,computer network companies andrestaurants,cards can make expenses lessexpensive and preserve cash reserves.
"A key driver to small business success isfinding ways to make less go a long way," saysSteve Strauss,small business expert and colum-nist.
Reward cards are one important tool tohelp small businesses maximize assets andmanage cash flow.Here are some additionalsuggestions to help you prevent shortfalls andkeep your small business in financial order:
Think ahead.Even the smallest businessescan no longer afford to roll the dice with casu-al "back of the envelope" calculations.
Budgeting should be done routinely and sys-tematically on both a short-term (weekly,monthly depending on company size) and along-term (annual,3 to 5 years) basis to fore-cast impending needs.
Don't silo.A company's cash position is tiedto business operations,so it is wise to assessproduction schedules,overtime,supplier choic-es and delivery dates against cash availabilityand make adjustments regularly.
Expedite incoming payments.Speed upreceivables collection by sending out invoicesas soon as orders are shipped and ask cus-tomers to make electronic payments whereverpossible.Always deposit checks the same daythey are received.
Remember that inventory is not cash.Theitems on your shelves need to be sold to betransformed into cash, therefore you should doeverything in your power to move inventory,including offering discounts or installment pay-ments if necessary.
AARRAA CCoonntteenntt
Buy more, spend less and keep your cash
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 9Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments4 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
NEW MEMBERSTurner PhotographyDan Turner675 Scottsdale Drive, Vacaville, Ca. [email protected]
December5 – Holiday Mixer hosted by Travis Credit Union, One Travis Way. . . . . . .5:30 PM
15 – Holiday Wake Up hosted by Dish It Up Catering, Jackson Medical Supply,
Kathy Rybicki-All State Insurance, Colleen Berumen - CABi
MEETINGS AND EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2011
36 YearsThornton & Sons Jewelers
35 YearsDavid Fleming
30 YearsCredit Bureau &Associates
25 YearsVaca Safe & Lock
24 YearsWorkforce Investment BoardVacaville Unified School District
20 YearsRichmar Cabinets
10-15 YearsSoroptimist International of VacavilleBlake Austin CollegeCurtis DesignsJim Dandy TransmissionTahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse
1-10 YearsBeth LofthusNorth Bay Truck CenterAdventures In Personal ComputingDutton Design BuildEdible ArrangementsFront 2 Back DesignsGraphic ExpressionsHenley Architects & Associates IncLaw Offices of Jeffrey DanielLos Reyes RestauranteNewbys Therapeutic MessageRyan Bates Photography
MEMBER REINVESTMENTS
Soon, California businesses will bemoving to a new electric ratestructure called Time-Varying
Pricing, part of a statewide energyplan that will be implemented by allCalifornia investor-owned utilities.
Time-Varying Pricing is designed tohelp protect the state’s electricityresources. During weekday afternoons,when demand is highest, rates willincrease; at other times they will belower. Conserving energy during peakperiods, by even a small amount, can
help you lower your annual bill.Many small and midsize businesses
will transition to Time-Varying Pricingin November 2012 and PG&E wants tohelp you with ways to conserve. Tofind out about energy solutions, assess-ments, tips, tools and more, call ourdedicated Business Customer ServiceCenter at 1-800-468-4743. You can alsoattend a workshop or webinar onTime-Varying Pricing at your conven-ience. Visit www.pge.com/busi-nesspower to learn more.
Learn how your business can save electricity
Get ready for the new rates, starting in fall 2012.
Ihave been living in SolanoCounty for about 15 years,originally from the Pacificaand San Bruno area.My family
and I moved up here in 1997where I attended Green ValleyMiddle School and Armijo HighSchool graduating in 2002. Iworked for Starbucks from 2000to 2005 and this is where I mas-tered my spunky customer serv-ice skills. In 2005 I went towork for PCC Logistics,which isa shipping company located inthe Port of Oakland. I started asa customer service representa-tive and when I resigned in 2011I was the Supervisor for the export and spe-cial projects department. In 2009 I gave birthto my beautiful daughter,Rylie Grace. Oneshe was born I decided it was too far of acommute so I started looking for somethingcloser to home.
A friend of mine told me of a sales market-ing position that was available here in townfor a company called Servpro of Fairfield. Iknew right away with my spunky personalityand ambition to succeed I would be perfectfor the job. After attending a few of theChamber meetings I knew I would be great fit
for the Ambassador team.Becoming an Ambassador hasmade a huge contribution to mynew career; I have also met a lotof great people that I can callfriends as well as colleagues.
Not a lot of people are famil-iar with the type of businessServpro of Fairfield does.We area Fire & Water RestorationCompany. We specialize in 24hour emergency and disastercleanup for residential and com-mercial buildings.You can beassured we’ll do our very best tomake it “like it never even hap-pened.” I also want to add that “I
am the lady with those great green pens”thateveryone loves! Servpro of Fairfield and Istrongly feel it is very important to give backto the community.We try our hardest to makesure we do our utmost to participate in every-thing that we can.
Just a little bit more about me: I enjoycamping,boating,wakeboarding,Disneyland,snowboarding,country music (concerts)being with friends and family and I take lots ofpictures! I feel you should always live life tothe fullest and cherish every moment and justbe yourself.
AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTHKimi Blaine – Servpro of Fairfield
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 3Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments10 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
By Mark Creffield, President/CEO
Now that the Vacaville Chamber of Commercenewsletter is published and distributed by theVacaville Reporter, which has increased our reader-ship from approximately 700 to over 17,000, I
wanted to reprint an article I wrote last year about an excit-ing and informative committee called the Travis RegionalArmed Forces Committee (TRAFC).
Did you know that membership with the VacavilleChamber of Commerce or any Solano County Chamberenables you to join the Travis Regional Armed ForcesCommittee (TRAFC)? This committee, now in its 14th year,was formed from the Solano County Armed ServicesCommittee and the Military Affairs Committees of theFairfield-Suisun and Vacaville Chambers of Commerce. Itwas designed to combine similar, but separate Travis AirForce Base support groups into a more effective regionalvoice.
Under the auspices of the County’s Chambers ofCommerce,TRAFC is the local community organization
which supports the men, women, andmissions of Travis Air Force Base. Itsmembership is comprised of over 175local business and civic leaders, includ-ing elected officials from throughoutSolano County, the state and federalgovernment. Its day-to-day administra-tion is shared by the Fairfield-Suisunand Vacaville Chambers of Commerce.The committee is governed by an 18member board of directors.The organ-ization meets monthly at the TravisAFB Delta Breeze Club dining facility.Here the group received updates onTravis activities from the base’sCommanders from the 15th
Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, the 60th Air MobilityWing, the 349th Air Mobility Wing, and the 615thContingency Response Wing.
Throughout the year,TRAFC hosts events honoring the
men and women of Travis AFB. It has hosted welcome homeevents for returning troops, hosts a B-B-Q for air show par-ticipants, holds an annual Commander’s Night, NCO Night,Military Recognition Dinner along with the ever importantContractor’s Breakfast for businesses on “How to do busi-ness with Travis Air Force Base.”
Periodically the organization’s members visit congres-sional leaders in the nation’s capitol to seek support for mil-itary construction projects, military benefits, equipmentimprovement and additional missions.The organization alsoleads efforts to achieve necessary support from local gov-ernments, agencies and businesses on matters crucial to thebase and its operations.
In short,TRAFC is the community’s eyes, ears and voicefor the people of Travis AFB. Membership is available toChamber of Commerce members with annual dues of just$135. Consider joining the Travis Regional Armed Forcestoday and support the men and women of Team Travis – AirPower!
By Mark CreffieldPresident/CEO
Support Travis Air Force Base!Bank of AmericaEd Forrest150 Parker Street, Vacaville, CA 95688707-454-3823Edwin.forrest@bankofamerica.comwww.bankofamerica.com
Breezey TansCindy Henson640 E. Main Street, Vacaville, CA [email protected].
California Carpet CareGlenn Emlaw940 Ruby Drive, Vacaville, CA 95687707-446-6568owner@californiacarpetcare.comwww.vacvillecarpetcleaning.com
Kevin English – AssociateKevin English18172 Gadwall Street, Woodland, CA [email protected]
Genesis Health InstituteDr. Douglas Weed3700 Hilborn Road, #950, Fairfield, CA [email protected]
Tamara Hansen – Kappel & Kappel , Inc.Tamara Hansen401 Davis Street, Ste D., Vacaville, CA 95688707-514-6242Hansent210@gmail.comwww.tamarahansen-kappels-com.sitessale-saspects.com
Momentum Auto GroupDan Vasquez2575 Auto Mall Parkway, Fairfield, CA 94533707-402-7100dvasquez@infinitioffairfield.comwww.momentumautogroup.com
Paychex, Inc.Linda Zacharia Fletcher2365 Iron Point Road, Folsom, CA [email protected]
Real Property Management SelectNick Munsee1241 Alamo Drive, Ste 12, Vacaville, CA 95687707-317-9570nfo@realpropertymanagementselect.comwww.realpropertymanagementselect.com
Solano Day SpaKiely Lawson640 E. Main Street, Vacaville, CA [email protected]
Vacaville Ballet Theatre CompanyHeidi LuMaye813 Davis Street, Vacaville, CA 95687707-449-1976vacavilleballet@sbcglobal.netwww.vacavilleballet.com
Vacaville Business ClubJohn McFadden78 Cernon Street, Suite C, Vacaville, CA [email protected]
NEW MEMBERS
When you start a small business,you'll probably discover that whatyou learned in business school
doesn't cover everything you need to knowas a business leader.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE NEW MISTAKES
Mistakes are one of the most valuablelearning tools I've ever come across.Youcan't learn anything if you're afraid to trysomething new, or worried about letting
your staff do things differently.As a small business owner, you can't
afford to fall victim to "the paralysis ofanalysis." That doesn't mean you shouldchange how you run an aspect of your busi-ness without doing your due diligence. Butthe longer you wait to try something new,the longer you'll wait to learn somethingyour competitors might already know.
Develop a culture where you and youremployees feel comfortable trying some-thing new and embracing an entrepreneur-
ial spirit. "At SurePayroll, we give a 'BestNew Mistake' award that's our equivalent tothe Presidential Medal of Freedom.The win-ner walks away with $400 - the largestprize we issue to any employee," Alter says.You'll be pleasantly surprised how muchyou learn, and how entrepreneurial youremployees can be, when you give them thefreedom to err.
SAYING "NO" TO NEW BUSINESS CAN BE A POWERFUL ASSET
Taking on new challenges and doingpractically everything yourself is the hall-mark of a small business owner. But ratherthan accepting every new opportunity thatlooks like it might be helpful with yourbusiness, start saying "no" to things thataren't strategically aligned with your busi-ness.
Be sure "no" is part of your vocabularyso you can say "yes" to focusing on yourcore business.
USE NEGATIVES AS POSITIVESYou may never have the big marketing
budgets, huge cash flow, or large infrastruc-ture that your big competitors will. Mostpeople will tell you that's a negative you'llhave to overcome (or a "challenge" youhave to overcome, if they're being nice).Rather, think of it as a positive - an opportu-nity you need to seize.
Working with abundant resources isalways more cumbersome.When your com-petitors want to change, they have an armyof employees to retrain, technology toreprogram and at least a few big wigswho'll need to sign off on it - usually after alot of convincing.
As the owner of a small business, youare able to change quickly. Use your nimble-ness to your advantage.Turning your ideainto a reality quickly is much easier for youthan for a colleague who works at a largeemployer.
PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS, NOT YOUR WEAKNESSES
In past jobs your bosses probably triedto help you by identifying skills or traitsyou should improve when they conductedyour performance reviews. But, time is theone resource you can never get more of. Sowhy waste time trying to improve some-thing you're not good at - and probablydon't have any passion for - when you canoutsource your weaknesses?
If you're buried in receipts and yourgeneral ledger, struggling to keep the booksaccurate, find an accountant or bookkeeperso you can free up your time to focus ongrowing your business. If you're great atselling your service or product but can'thelp customers with questions, get a cus-tomer service representative on board soyou can focus on what you're best at.
When you're in the middle of doingsomething you hate, pass the buck to some-one else.
USE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE EVERYTHING
The advances in business technology overthe last 15 years have leveled the playingfield.With the right technology, you can revo-lutionize how your business and serviceworks - and even what your market expects.
Find the technology that can help youimprove operations and free your staff towork on tasks that generate more revenue.If your employees are still digging throughmounds of paper files and different spread-sheets for customer and prospect informa-tion, put everything in a central online cus-tomer relationship manager (CRM) solutionlike SalesForce.com.And when youremployees are on the go, ensure they havesmartphones with apps (such as a docu-ment and spreadsheet viewers) they needto work from anywhere.
Smart technology investments alwaysproduce a strong return on investment.
AARRAA CCoonntteenntt
Five tips for growing a small business
Job killer ...Continued from page 1reduce or deny exorbitant attorneys fees in fairemployment and housing claims that shouldhave been raised in a limited civil proceeding.In vetoing the bill,Governor Brown agreedwith CalChamber,saying “in this case, I thinkthe Supreme Court got it right. Judges are inthe best position to decide whether to awardor deny fees in these instances.”
SB 104 (Steinberg;D-Sacramento) (vetoedon June 28,2011) Would have essentially elimi-nated a secret ballot election and replaced itwith the submission of representation cardssigned by more than 50 percent of the employ-ees,and left employees susceptible to coercionand manipulation by labor organizations. Inworking to defeat the bill,CalChamber arguedthat the current provisions of the AgriculturalLabor Relations Act (ALRA) adequately protectthe rights and interests of employees andemployers,as well as unions. In his veto mes-sage Governor Brown reminded the bill’s sup-porters that while Governor in 1975 he signedthe nation’s first agricultural labor relations act,the ALRA.Under its protections, tens of thou-sands of agricultural workers have voted forunionization or otherwise expressed theirchoices as to how their interests should beadvanced, the veto message stated.
The Governor signed a job killer:
AB 22 (Mendoza;D- Artesia) which willlimit private employers’ability to use con-sumer credit reports for legitimate employ-ment purposes,such as for screening potentialhires who have direct and unsupervised accessto any amount of cash and/or valuable non-financial assets.CalChamber argues that thisbill will place California companies at a com-petitive disadvantage to other states.
JJoobb KKiilllleerr SSttaattss2011:30 “job killer”bills identified,5 sent to
Governor,4 vetoed;2010:43 “job killer”bills identified,12 sent
to Governor,10 vetoed;2009:33 “job killer”bills identified,6 sent to
Governor,6 vetoed;2008:39 “job killer”bills identified,10 sent
to Governor,9 vetoed;2007:30 “job killer”bills identified,12 sent
to Governor,12 vetoed;2006:40 “job killer”bills identified,11 sent
to Governor,9 vetoed;2005:45 “job killer”bills identified,8 sent to
Governor,7 vetoed;2004:23 “job killer”bills identified,10 sent
to Governor,10 vetoed.
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Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 11Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments2 - Thursday, October 27, 2011 Vacaville Chamber of Commerce • Business Comments
Carol LandryChairperson –
First Northern BankDilenna Harris
Chair Elect – Solano CountyLibrary Foundation
Ed ForrestImmediate Past Chair –
Bank of AmericaDebbie Egidio
Treasurer – DTS EgidioErnie Smith
Vice Chair Client/Members –Smith Business Interiors
The City of Vacaville is currently in theprocess of updating it’s General Planwhich was last approved twenty years
ago. The General Plan is the blueprint for thegrowth of Vacaville for the next twenty years.There are three major areas of study for possi-ble growth – (1) the area east of Leisure TownRd. (2) the Northeast Quadrant (north andsouth of I-80 east of Leisure Town Rd.) (3)Infill areas within the city. All of the areashave various residential and commercial pro-posals that range from little development,moderate development and intense develop-ment. The Planning Commission has heldhearings over the last year and has submittedits recommendation to the Vacaville CityCouncil. The City Council will be finalizing itsrecommendation in November.
The Chamber of Commerce has joinedwith the Downtown Vacaville BusinessImprovement District to endorse the changeof zoning proposed for one of the infill proj-ects – the old Vacaville Unified School District
headquarters and theadjoining old UlatisElementary school site.The old VUSD modularbuildings are vacant andcannot be used again dueto health and safety issues.The old Ulatis ElementarySchool is currently beingused by Country HighSchool which could berelocated to a differentsite. Therefore, the schooldistrict has requested thatthe zoning for these twoproperties be changed tomixed use (residential
and commercial) high density. This wouldallow for the development of a condo projectalong side Andrews Park with commercialbuildings fronting Monte Vista Ave.
Many people are excited about the idea ofnew condos bringing in 200-300 new full-time
residents to our downtown area. This is anexcellent example of a smart, infill projectusing existing infrastructure. The Chamberand the DVBID see this proposal as a win-winfor all parties involved. It is a win for ourdowntown as it would support our down-town businesses with more customers. Itwould complement the Opportunity HillMaster Plan by bringing more potential cus-tomers downtown. This property has a betterchance of being developed due to its flat, rec-tangular location next to a park and shopping.It is a win for the Vacaville School Districtwhich could use the funds to improve otherschool facilities. It is a win for the City thatwould receive a boost to property taxes.Overall, it is an entire win for the city as itwould bring an attractive residential develop-ment located for people who would like toenjoy a downtown, urban residential experi-ence.
New Condos in Downtown?
Sales Director - Sally SchulzProject Coordinator - Shauna Manina
Layout & Design - Sarah TaberPublished by The Reporter
Printed on Recycled paper
By Carol LandryChair of
the Board
EVENTS
Chamber Mixer:Annual Business Education Mixer hosted and held at the Vacaville Chamber ofCommerce. (Above) Chamber Wake-Up Vacaville:Big Valley Mortgage, located at 479 Mason Street, Ste. 109 (Above, right) Ribbon Cuttings:1. Amazing Slimmer Body Wraps (right), 198 Dobbins Street, Ste. C2. Vacaville Ballet Theater (below, right), 819 Davis Street3. Genesis Health Institute (Below), 3700 Hillborn Road #950, Fairfield
NorthBay Healthcare officialswere informed by SolanoCounty officials in
September that their program tobecome the first Level III TraumaCenter had passed muster.
In a joint letter to trauma pro-gram leaders, County HealthOfficer Dr. Bela T. Matyas and TedSelby, administrator of the SolanoCounty Emergency MedicalServices Agency, wrote,“The sur-vey team felt that NorthBayMedical Center’s application andon-site review demonstrate yourhospital’s commitment to provid-ing excellent trauma care.“
They added,“The successfulachievement of a trauma designa-tion is commendable.”
NorthBay Healthcare is aPlatinum Member of theChairman’s Circle.
It has been a year sinceNorthBay officials were the first inthe county to unveil a detailedplan to provide care for victims oftraumatic events by the end of2011.
The designation process willbe completed by Dec. 31, thedeadline for county health offi-cials and NorthBay to sign a trau-ma center agreement that paves
the way for emergency respon-ders - police, firefighters, para-medics and ambulance companies- to deliver patients with traumaticinjuries to the centrally locatedFairfield hospital.
This will decrease the numberof local residents who must leavethe county for trauma treatmentand care. In addition, some sugges-tions made by the surveyors dur-ing their visit already are beingimplemented, including reconfig-uring and enhancing the traumatreatment room.
NorthBay officials said workwas under way on other improve-ments that will be accomplishedquickly. Solano County was one ofthe few counties its size withinCalifornia that did not have a des-ignated trauma center within itsboundaries.
Designation as a Level III cen-ter means emergency medicalservices personnel can now bringtrauma patients to the Fairfieldhospital’s Emergency Departmentfor treatment. Patients will betriaged in the field according tocriteria for treatment at the appro-priate level of trauma care.
Patients with neurologicalinjuries will continue to be trans-
ported to Level I and Level II trau-ma centers.There are about 1,000trauma cases a year in SolanoCounty, according to state statis-tics that show 42 percent aretransferred out of the county, typi-cally to trauma centers in WalnutCreek or Sacramento. Most are aresult of traffic crashes (50 per-cent) and falls (39 percent). Lessthan 7 percent of traumaticinjuries are a result of assaults.
“This is a life-saving advance-ment of medicine for residents ofSolano County,”noted GaryPassama,president and CEO ofNorthBay Healthcare.“We didn’tjust decide to do this.This has beenpart of our long-range strategic planfor many,many years.Our role asthe independent,community-basedhealthcare provider is to bring tolocal residents the medical servicesthat do not exist here.”
During the last three years,NorthBay Healthcare built theinfrastructure for trauma care andother advanced medical services.It began by putting into placearound-the-clock in-house physi-cian staffing for general surgery,internal medicine, orthopedic sur-gery, anesthesia, OB-GYN and criti-cal care medicine, all of which
provide a strong foundation for ahigh-quality trauma medical team.
“We created that system toimprove the care for all patients,”explained Deborah Sugiyama,president of NorthBay HealthcareGroup, which directly managesoperations in NorthBay MedicalCenter and NorthBay VacaValleyHospital in Vacaville.
“We can be proud of thisaccomplishment,”noted KathyRicherson, vice president and chiefnursing officer at NorthBay.“Itrequired tremendous dedication tocreate something our communityreally needs.The team at NorthBaynever wavered in its mission todeliver this program to those weserve.We knew we would be sav-ing lives because we could elimi-nate the long transport times toother hospitals farther away.Andwe knew we could keep familiesof trauma victims closer to theirloved ones, which quite oftenhelps the recovery process.”
Dr. Pete Zopfi is the traumamedical director and chief of sur-gery. Daman Mott, R.N., is direc-tor of Emergency Departmentand Trauma Services, assisted byHeather Venezio, R.N., traumaprogram director.
NorthBay Medical Center is County’s First Level III Trauma Center
L eadership Vacaville has beguna new class session with 15new members. On October6th the first session of the
Leadership Vacaville Class of 2012held its first meeting. The classmembers spent the day learningabout the heritage, art, and culture inVacaville.
Congratulations to the incomingclass who will spend the next 10months engaging in dialogue withcommunity leaders, establishing life-long relationships with fellow class-mates, exploring all the various areasof Vacaville, and planning and exe-cuting a community service project.
Ashley Westmoreland, GatewayRealty
Charlie Vinyard, MillenniumSportsclub
Colleen Stafford,All Size FlooringCenter
David Smith, MV TransportationDiane Irby, NorthBay HealthcareIan Schmutzler,Vacaville Police
DepartmentJoanne Bucsko,Vacaville Unified
School District
Julie Sabbagh,Vacaville Chamberof Commerce
Katheryn Tuberty, FarmersInsurance Group
Lisa Shipley, Solano County FarmBureau
Mike Meneni, Kaiser PermanenteRachel Andre, US BankRichard Roark,Travis Credit
UnionRick Sheffe,Travis Air Force BaseStephanie Tarter, NorthBay
HealthcareLeadership Vacaville is a 10
month program designed to educateVacaville’s emerging leaders aboutsocial, political, and economicaspects of our community that affectour standard of living and quality oflife. The program is offered throughthe Vacaville Chamber of Commerceand generously sponsored byNorthBay Healthcare. If you areinterested in learning more aboutthe program please call (707) 448-6424 or visit www.vacavillecham-ber.com to view the LeadershipVacaville brochure and additionalinformation.
November 2011
CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE
Diamond:Cirkadia KUIC 95.3 Pacific Gas & Electric The Reporter Newspaper
Gold:A.G. Spanos Companies First Northern Bank Kaiser Permanente McDonald’s RestaurantsStandard Pacific New HomesSutter Regional Medical Foundation Wells Fargo BanksWestern Health Advantage
Silver:Emeritus of VacavilleHampton Inn & SuitesRaley’sRay Morgan Co.Vacaville MagazineValero Benicia RefineryVITUSWal-Mart
Bronze:AAA Northern CaliforniaAd Special T’sAlza CorporationB & L PropertiesCache Creek Casino ResortCancer Treatment Center of VacavilleCommunity Business BankCostco WholesaleCourtside Cottages of VacavilleG2 Solutions Inc.Kappel & Kappel Real EstateM&G Duravent, Inc.Mariani Packing Co., Inc.Mary’s Pizza ShackNorth Bay Truck CenterParamount House Senior LivingPhillippi EngineeringPremier Commercial Real EstateRAS Solano Radiation Oncology CenterState Compensation Insurance FundSuihkonen CPA’s & ConsultantsToyota VacavilleTranspacUS BankVacaville Heating and Air ConditioningVacaville HondaVacaville Premium OutletsVacaville Residence Inn
Governor Edmund G.Brown Jr. concluded hiswork on legislation overthe weekend, vetoing
two more CalChamber-opposed“job killer” bills in addition to twoearlier vetoes and signing one jobkiller bill into law.A total of fivejob killers ultimately made it tothe Governor’s desk from the 30that were identified for 2011.
“We commend GovernorBrown for vetoing nearly allCalChamber identified job killers,”said Allan Zaremberg, Presidentand CEO of the CaliforniaChamber of Commerce.
“Governor Brown’s commitmentto ‘do no more harm’ toCalifornia’s economy will send astrong message that eliminatingeconomic uncertainty is the firstelement of any program to makeCalifornia more competitive.”
The Governor vetoed these jobkillers:
AB 1155 (Alejo; D-Watsonville)Would have increased costs andlawsuits in the workers’ compen-sation system by eroding theapportionment provision that pro-tects an employer from paying fordisability that did not arise fromwork.Among other things,
Governor Brown cited new litiga-tion costs for businesses as a rea-son for his veto.
AB 325 (B. Lowenthal; D-LongBeach) Would have added toCalifornia businesses’ legal costsand responsibilities by requiringan employer to provide employ-ees with up to three days ofunpaid bereavement leave. Inaddition, the bill would have ele-vated the significance of the rightto bereavement leave to the samelevel as the right to be free fromracial or gender discriminationand harassment. In vetoing thebill, Governor Brown agreed with
CalChamber, saying he believedthe bill was unnecessary becausethe vast majority of employers vol-untarily make such an accommo-dation for the loss of a loved one.He also echoed CalChamber’sopposition to the far-reaching pri-vate right to sue that the billwould have established.
The Governor earlier vetoedthese job killers:
AB 559 (Swanson; D-Alameda)(vetoed on September 26, 2011)Would have unreasonablyincreased business litigation costsby limiting judicial discretion to
Continued on page 3
Final Tally on Job Killer Bills: Governor Vetoes Four; Signs One into Law
